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Barber N, Valoumas I, Leger KR, Chang YL, Huang CM, Goh JOS, Gutchess A. Culture, prefrontal volume, and memory. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298235. [PMID: 38551909 PMCID: PMC10980194 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Prior cross-cultural studies have demonstrated differences among Eastern and Western cultures in memory and cognition along with variation in neuroanatomy and functional engagement. We further probed cultural neuroanatomical variability in terms of its relationship with memory performance. Specifically, we investigated how memory performance related to gray matter volume in several prefrontal lobe structures, including across cultures. For 58 American and 57 Taiwanese young adults, memory performance was measured with the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) using performance on learning trial 1, on which Americans had higher scores than the Taiwanese, and the long delayed free recall task, on which groups performed similarly. MRI data were reconstructed using FreeSurfer. Across both cultures, we observed that larger volumes of the bilateral rostral anterior cingulate were associated with lower scores on both CVLT tasks. In terms of effects of culture, the relationship between learning trial 1 scores and gray matter volumes in the right superior frontal gyrus had a trend for a positive relationship in Taiwanese but not in Americans. In addition to the a priori analysis of select frontal volumes, an exploratory whole-brain analysis compared volumes-without considering CVLT performance-across the two cultural groups in order to assess convergence with prior research. Several cultural differences were found, such that Americans had larger volumes in the bilateral superior frontal and lateral occipital cortex, whereas Taiwanese had larger volumes in the bilateral rostral middle frontal and inferior temporal cortex, and the right precuneus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolette Barber
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States of America
| | - Ioannis Valoumas
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States of America
| | - Krystal R. Leger
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States of America
| | - Yu-Ling Chang
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Center for Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Robotics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Volen National Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States of America
| | - Chih-Mao Huang
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Institute of Brain Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Joshua Oon Soo Goh
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Center for Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Robotics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Angela Gutchess
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States of America
- Volen National Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States of America
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Leger KR, Cho I, Valoumas I, Schwartz D, Mair RW, Goh JOS, Gutchess A. Cross-cultural comparison of the neural correlates of true and false memory retrieval. Memory 2024:1-18. [PMID: 38266009 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2024.2307923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Prior work has shown Americans have higher levels of memory specificity than East Asians. Neuroimaging studies have not investigated mechanisms that account for cultural differences at retrieval. In this study, we use fMRI to assess whether mnemonic discrimination, distinguishing novel from previously encountered stimuli, accounts for cultural differences in memory. Fifty-five American and 55 Taiwanese young adults completed an object recognition paradigm testing discrimination of old targets, similar lures and novel foils. Mnemonic discrimination was tested by comparing discrimination of similar lures from studied targets, and results showed the relationship between activity in left fusiform gyrus and behavioural discrimination between target and lure objects differed across cultural groups. Parametric modulation analyses of activity during lure correct rejections also indicated that groups differed in left superior parietal cortex response to variations in lure similarity. Additional analyses of old vs. new activity indicated that Americans and Taiwanese differ in the neural activity supporting general object recognition in the hippocampus, left inferior frontal gyrus and middle frontal gyrus. Results are juxtaposed against comparisons of the regions activated in common across the two cultures. Overall, Americans and Taiwanese differ in the extent to which they recruit visual processing and attention modulating brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystal R Leger
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Isu Cho
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Ross W Mair
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joshua Oon Soo Goh
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Neurobiology and Cognitive Sciences Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Center of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Robotics, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Angela Gutchess
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA
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Dien J. Editorial: Introduction to the special issue on cultural neuroscience. Biol Psychol 2023; 182:108641. [PMID: 37473984 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Dien
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, 3304 Benjamin Building, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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Zhang W, Andrews-Hanna JR, Mair RW, Goh JOS, Gutchess A. Functional connectivity with medial temporal regions differs across cultures during post-encoding rest. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 22:1334-1348. [PMID: 35896854 PMCID: PMC9703377 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-022-01027-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Connectivity of the brain at rest can reflect individual differences and impact behavioral outcomes, including memory. The present study investigated how culture influences functional connectivity with regions of the medial temporal lobe. In this study, 46 Americans and 59 East Asians completed a resting state scan after encoding pictures of objects. To investigate cross-cultural differences in resting state functional connectivity, left parahippocampal gyrus (anterior and posterior regions) and left hippocampus were selected as seed regions. These regions were selected, because they were previously implicated in a study of cultural differences during the successful encoding of detailed memories. Results revealed that left posterior parahippocampal gyrus had stronger connectivity with temporo-occipital regions for East Asians compared with Americans and stronger connectivity with parieto-occipital regions for Americans compared with East Asians. Left anterior parahippocampal gyrus had stronger connectivity with temporal regions for East Asians than Americans and stronger connectivity with frontal regions for Americans than East Asians. Although connectivity did not relate to memory performance, patterns did relate to cultural values. The degree of independent self-construal and subjective value of tradition were associated with functional connectivity involving left anterior parahippocampal gyrus. Findings are discussed in terms of potential cultural differences in memory consolidation or more general trait or state-based processes, such as holistic versus analytic processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanbing Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, MS 062, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA
| | - Jessica R Andrews-Hanna
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Cognitive Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Ross W Mair
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Joshua Oon Soo Goh
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Center of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Robotics, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Angela Gutchess
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, MS 062, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA.
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